Previous studies reported that RNA-binding protein human antigen R (HuR) mediates changes in the stability of AChR β-subunit mRNA after skeletal muscle denervation; also, p38 pathway regulated the stability of AChR β-subunit mRNA in C2C12 myotubes. However, the relationship between HuR and p38 in regulating the stability of AChR β-subunit mRNA have not been clarified. In this study, we wanted to examine the effect of inhibiting p38 on HuR in denervated skeletal muscle. Denervation model was built and 10% DMSO or SB203580 were administered respectively follow denervation. Tibialis muscles were collected in 10% DMSO-administered contralateral (undenervated) leg, 10% DMSO-administered denervated leg, SB203580-administered contralateral (undenervated) leg, and SB203580-administered denervated leg, respectively. P38 protein, β-AChR mRNA and protein, HuR protein, β-AChR mRNA stability, and HuR binding with AChR β-subunit mRNAs were measured. Results demonstrated that the administration of SB203580 can inhibit the increase of β-AChR protein expression and mRNA expression and stability, and RNA-binding protein human antigen R (HuR) expression, in cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions in skeletal muscle cells following denervation. Importantly, we observed that SB203580 also inhibited the increased level of binding activity between HuR and AChR β-subunit mRNAs following denervation. Collectively, these results suggested that inhibition of p38 can post-transcriptionally inhibit β-AChR upregulation via HuR in denervated skeletal muscle.
Keywords: Acetylcholine receptors; Denervation; Human antigen R; Post-transcriptional mechanisms; p38 inhibitor.